Volvo's new XC40 SUV is a little luxury liner

A menu of Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen on the Business page of The Sacramento Bee’s website – www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4005306.html

Sacramento, California -- Volvo has an all-new entry in the extremely crowded field of crossover sport-utility vehicles.  The automaker calls its 2019 XC40 "a small premium SUV."

Yeah, OK, I'll buy that.  My tester was the XC40 T5 AWD R-Design model, a loaded version with a bottom line of $45,340.

Volvo boasts that its XC40 was the first Volvo to win the coveted European Car of the Year award, and it likewise touts the Compact Modular Architecture of the vehicle.  Catchy name, but for my money, it simply looked a little more sporty and stylish than your typical crossover SUV.

OK, it is pretty small.  If you're transporting six suitcases or all the youth soccer team's equipment, you're going to be challenged.  Frankly, that is not what the XC40 is all about in my view.

For me, it's a top-flight, luxury-laden daily driver for the urban/suburban dweller.  And you get some good pop under the hood.

The tester was equipped with a 2-liter turbo 4 rated at 248 horsepower, and that dusted off pretty much anything that got in my way.  A hard push on the accelerator on freeway on-ramps prompted a satisfying rush, but very little noise made its way into the cockpit.  Nice work there, and I was mystified that other reviewers found the XC40 a bit noisy.

This being a Volvo, high-tech engineering perks are plentiful, especially in the safety department.  In a tight spot, the automaker's "Pilot Assist" system can help the driver with acceleration, steering and braking to avoid a collision.  Full disclosure: I did not put this to the test but was glad to know it was there.

The interior layout is nicely done, and cleanly organized.  Front seat room is good.  Back seat folks might feel cramped.  Interior bonus on my ride: a saucy red interior setting off the vehicle's black exterior paint job.

The swipe touchscreen might take some time to master, but it's easy to read.

For my money, this is a niche vehicle for Volvo and/or luxury lovers who don't need a monster SUV to handle the daily transportation duties ... but a small, stylish number with plenty of perks will work just fine, thank you very much.

New UX model offers entry-level path for Lexus fans

A menu of Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen on the Business page of The Sacramento Bee’s website – www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4005306.html

Sacramento, California -- Want to step up to some Lexus luxury but can't afford the fare?

Relax, Lexus has come up with something for you in 2019.

The all-new 2019 Lexus UX 200 is an entry-level compact crossover SUV priced just right for those wanting luxury for less.  My Luxury trim level tester had a bottom line of $39,615 on the sticker -- a fairly low number for any vehicle wearing a Lexus badge.

For that price, my ride was loaded up with plentiful comfort/convenience/safety features that you might expect to find on new motor vehicles priced at $50,000 and more.

For the most part, I mastered much of the electronic technology, but some of it took me time to learn.  Figure on spending a few extra hours with the owner's manual if you take delivery of this UX newbie.

This is a compact vehicle all the way.  In fact, the UX layout is so streamlined and tight that it could be mistaken for a sedan/hatch vehicle.  Then again, I'm splitting hairs here.  The UX offers Lexus perks in a package that doubles as a people hauler and a chore doer.

Lexus calls it a "creative urban explorer."  The very name translates to: U for "urban" and X for "crossover. So there, go with that.

The automaker also makes the case for the vehicle's rigid body structure, and yes, the UX was smooth in most driving maneuvers I put it through.

Power comes from a 2-liter 4 with 169 horsepower.  That power plant labored noisily on hard uphill roads in the Sierra Nevada foothills, but frankly, the UX is better-equipped to tackle the urban-suburban flatlands.  You want a ski weekend SUV, there are plenty of those out there.  That's not the strong suit of the UX.

On the upside, the UX four-cylinder engine is a champ on gas mileage, getting 29 miles per gallon in the city and 37 mpg on the highway.  That will save you some money on long road trips.

So, it boils down to this: Do you live in an urban/suburban setting and dream of having a Lexus in your driveway?  If so, the UX is right up your alley.

Hyundai Santa Fe's 2019 upgrades make the grade

A menu of Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen on the Business page of The Sacramento Bee’s website – www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4005306.html

Sacramento, California -- I have recommended the Hyundai Santa Fe to multiple friends and family members over the years, noting its versatility, reliability and wealth of perks for a price well below similarly equipped competition.

The Santa Fe sport-utility vehicle has undergone numerous changes and fixes over the years, but arguably the best round of these occurs for the 2019 model year.  The extensively reworked Santa Fe comes off as a champ.

My tester was the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Ultimate 2.0T AWD.  Walking up to it, I easily spotted  much more aggressive, sporty sculpting, especially on the front end.  The stance is wider with nice angular cuts on both sides of the large grille.  LEDs all around and a panoramic sunroof added to the look.

The standard Santa Fe engine offering is a 2.4 -liter, 185-horsepower, four-cylinder job, but my ride had the much stronger 2-liter turbo 4 rated at a max 235 horsepower.  Talk about a bonus!  The turbo powered Santa Fe blew past sluggish surface street pokes and whipped around freeway stragglers with a flourish.

I don't remember a Santa Fe being so robust.  Certainly not one with an eight-speed transmission.

Hyundai has dropped the "Santa Fe Sport" name, and that's really no big deal.  With this turbocharged power plant, the sport part speaks for itself in performance.

You pay for the power on the fuel mileage end; the tester got 19 miles per gallon in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.

This being the "Ultimate" version of a Santa Fe, the tester was loaded up with comfort/convenience features.  I particularly liked the leather seat surfaces and the full-color head-up display.  Also, there's plentiful interior space for both passengers and cargo.

My ride reflected the generous amenities, with a bottom-line sticker price of $39,905.  That's a few bucks more than Santa Fe SUVs went for in the past.

Would I still recommend this Santa Fe to family and friends?

In a heartbeat.

Off to the races: NASCAR vets win, Penske smokin'

A menu of Mark Glover’s AutoGlo reviews of the latest motor vehicle models also can be seen on The Sacramento Bee’s website at www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4005306.html

Sacramento, California -- Serious motor racing has commenced, and with Formula One joining the mix this coming weekend, we'll be fully immersed in the sport.

So far, however, not much is new.

The first four winners in the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series have come from the "old guard": Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch.  This has been the case despite NASCAR's heavy promotional efforts to talk up the "young guns" in the series.

So far, the future stars have performed well but failed to cash in at winning time.

The new aero package adopted by NASCAR after the season-opening Daytona 500 has been interesting, with drivers adjusting to fast closing speeds and dramatic drop-offs in momentum, depending on where they are running in a pack.

The changes appear to have accomplished the intended goal of turning more control of the cars back over to the drivers.  That's a positive.

Alas, NASCAR continues to roll with "stages" within a race.  I'm not a fan.  For me, all it does is create extra caution periods -- there are too many of those already, especially at Daytona and Talladega -- and dilute the ultimate goal of winning the race.

In the NTT IndyCar Series opener in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Sunday, race winner Josef Newgarden continued car owner Roger Penske's best month ever.  Penske cars have been winning races all over the world, and on Sunday, Newgarden used some savvy pit stop/tire strategy to drive away from the competition.

After getting spanked by the competition in the 2018 IndyCar series title chase, Penske appears to be back in full force.  It could be a long year for Penske's rivals.

Beyond that, a strong crop of IndyCar rookies showed promise.

Of course, with road/street courses dominating the early 2019 IndyCar schedule, we really won't know what everybody has for the all-important Indianapolis 500 until May.  It will be interesting to see who has what when those cards are laid face-up on the table.

I'm a bit nervous about how the IndyCar rookies will adjust to the blinding speed and ever-closing walls at Indianapolis.  However, this new crop of youngsters seems to be fearless in the face of danger.

And with international stars like two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso also in the mix, the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 is shaping up to be an exceptional competition.  May can't come soon enough.